Automatic railroad gate



April"ll5, 1930. E. cANU-r ET AL 1,755,050

v AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed Jan. 12. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4April 15, 1930. I E. CANUT ET AL 1,755,050

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed Jan. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 plfil l5, 1 930. E, CANUT ET AL A AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed Jan. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 'April 15, 1930.l E. cANuT AL #1,755,050 L AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed Jan. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE ENRIQUE CANUT AND JOSE M. LOYBI, OF SAGUA LA GRANDE, CUBA AUTMATIC Rlald) GATE Application filed January 12, 1929, Seria No. 332,168, and in Cuba November 19, 1928.

This invention relates to automatic railroad gates which are operated by the passage of a train and therefore dispense with the necessity oi' a gate keeper.

45I The principal object of the invention is to provide a device which is certain and sure in its operation and which is applicable to either close the road along which the train is travelling or to close intersecting roads.

It is also an object of this invention to provide Va sound or light signal in combination, with the railroad gate, which will act previous to the operation of the gate.

`With these and other objects in View which l5 will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the following detailed combination and arrangement or parts set forth in the detailed description below claimed in the appended claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, `which shows a railroad gate constructed in accordance with this invention.

,Figa 2 is an upper plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing in detail some of the operative means of the working of the railroad gate.

Fig. L shows another View of said operative means. Y

Fig. 5 is a partial detail view, on enlarged scale, showing the locking device of the railroad gate in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a like View which shows the open position of the railroad gate.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the device as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the means set adjacent the rail, for operating the rail- -10 road gate, by the passage of a train.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section, upon lines 9-9 of Figure 8.

Fig. 10 is a partial upper plan View, of the signal operating device, used in combination with the railroad gate.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section along line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Fig. 12 is a partial section along line 12-12 of Figure 10, and

50 Fig. 13 shows the same view as Fig. 12

provided with a square cross sectional porbut with the parts in a diii'erent operative position.

In the drawings like parts refer to like elements throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings particularly, 1 55 indicates a railroad gate which has atone end a forked portion 1 secured to horizontal shaft 2 located in the casing 6. Beyond the shaft 2 the forked ends 1 are prolonged and are threaded for engagement with the counterweights 3, the position of which is controlled by the set screw 4.

Shaft 2 is mounted rotatably upon standards 5 within the casing. The shaft 2 is tion upon which are fixed the guides or plates 7 and 8 arranged at right angles to one another and being of dove-tailed cross section. The plates 7 and 8 serve as guides for two disks 9 and 10 which are mounted loosely upon the shaft 2 in the slots 9 and 10, respectively. The disks 9 and 10 have recesses of the same configuration as the guides 7 and 8 and in which said guides slide. The guides 7 and 8 have one end thereof terminating in 7 a threaded portion upon which are fixed the counterweights 11 and 12.

The disks 9 and 10 are substantially circular in shape but are provided with cam portions 9 and 10 which are diametrically CJ opposite one another as shown.V 1n addition. the disk 10 has an offset portion or tiange 10H which entends partially around the periphery of the disk.

Each of the disks is provided with rollers 172-3 and 11i rotatably mounted thereon and which cooperate with the cani surfaces 9 and l0. Guides 15 for the rollers are also mounted upon the disks. A latch 1G is secur d to the outer surface of the disk 9 in the position shown and this latch has a rear offset portion 16 and along one side thereof is provided with a notch 16". A latch 17 is supported pivotally from the outer surface of the disk 9 as shown in Figure 7 and partially in Fig. 5. A pivoted pawl 18 is located also in a reess in the disk 9 which pawl is engageable with a'notch 8 upon the guide 8.

The disk 10 has a pawl 19 of the same shape as the pawl 17 pivoted upon the outer surface thereof but in a recessed position. This same disk has also a pawl 20 housed in a recess upon the inner surface thereof and engageable with the notch 7 of the guide 7. Upon the outer surface of the disk 10 a latch 20 is pivoted and this latch has an offset portion 20 and a notch 20'@ which is engaged by the paul 19.

U on the standards 5 upon opposite sic es of t e same, are latches 29 and 30 having counterwei ts thereon 30 and these latches are engage by the stops 32 and which are also fixed upon the standards 5.

Adjacent the outer face of the disk 10 a slidable bar 21 is located and this bar car. ries a stop member 31. The upper end of the bar 21 is slotted as shown at 21v in Figure 3 and the shaft 2 extends freely through this slot. Upon the Lowerl end of the har 21v eye bolts are s ecured,to which are connected the ends of the ropes 22 and 23 which are then guided over pulleys 24 rotatable upon brackets secured to the adjacent standard 5.

As shown in Figure 3, the cables or ropes 22 and 23 have their other ends secured to pivoted levers 2 5 and 25 which levers are pivoted in brackets 26 secured tothe floor of the casing. Coil springs 2T, tend to maintain the levers 25 and 26 in their inward position and the cables or ropes 22; and 23 are maintained taut by the. weights 28.

Referring to Figure 4, the opposite standard 5 has upon its inner side theY pulleys 34 and overfwhich extend the cables 36 and 37 and these cables are connected to a, single cable 38 which extends over the Julyley 39 mounted); Onthe 2 and isl then fastened to the latex 1.6 previously. described.-

The opposite ends: of the cables 3G and 37 are secured to the levers 40 and 4.0. which are iveted, inY brackets 41, secured to the casing oor and these levers are Inaintained in their inward position by the springs 42 while the cables 36111151 31 are maintained taut by the Weights 43s Cables 44 and 44 are secured to the levers 25 and 25 respectively, while the cables 45 and 45 are secured to the levers 40l and 40 respectively. Cables 44 and 45 shomrparticularly in Figure 1, are guided! over the pulleys 4T alon one directionof the railroad track while ca les 44 and 45 are guided over pulleys 4 6 in the other direction ralong the railroad track.

Fi ures 8 andv 9 show a device for operating t lese variousv cables. The. device shown in these guresis placed close to the railroad track and comprises a casing 48 in which. is rotatably mounted ashaft 49to which is Xed a lever 50 having a pulley 52 disposed closely adjacent to the railroadtrack 51 so as to be in the path ofthe wheels 6B upon the train. At the other end of the shaft 49 is fixed a counterweighted double-armed lever 53 which is acted upon by the spr-ing- 54 and the ends of the cables 44 and 45 are fastened to the arms of this lever and the ends of the cables 44 and 45 which extend in an opposite direction along the railroad track are secured to a similar lever in a similar device.

Referrin to Figure 1. an alarm device is positioned closely adjacent to the gate 1 shown therein to sound a Warning that the gate is about to be closed and this alarm comprises a lever 55 pivoted upon a standard 56- Which is held in normal position by the spring 57 and a cable 58 passing' over the pulley 59 is secured to the free end of this lever and the other end of this cable fastened to the hammer() of the gong 61'. Lever is operated by a cable 62 which is secured thereto 64 having a lever` 65 fixedly secured thereto and the free end of the lever 65 extends into the path o f a pi'voted member 69 which is pivotally secured in a clamp TO secured to the grease box ofthe respective Wheel. The member 69 maybe raised andf lowered at will by the conductor orother person upon the the train through the means of a cable 71 secured tothe lever as shown particularly in Figures 11j and 12. It is evident that the-dcvice just described can be substitutedl for the device shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Thel operation of the railroad gate is as follows Assuming that the gate 1 is inthe raised position as shown in Figure. 1 and the operating parts positioned as shown in Figure 6, with the disk- 9 concentric with the shaft 2 and the disk 10 eccentric thereto, it is evident that when a train approaches the crossing one of the Wheels 68 of the same comes into, contact. with the roller 52 andi therebyv pivots the Weight 49 andy oscillates the lever 53 thereby pulling the cable 441 which is secured to the lever 25 and the lever 25" in turn pulls the cable 23 which is secured to the bar 21 and thereby moves the bar 21 upwardly due to the slot 21 therein. This will cause the upper end of the bar to engagethe ange 10 upon the disk 10 and raise the same since the disk 10 is mounted looselyby means of the slot 10.

on the shaft 2; At this particular moment the roller 14 will act upon the cam surface 9 upon the disk 9 and-move the disk 9 laterally since this disk is mounted by the slot 9, upon the shaft 2. disks 9 and 10'are guidedA by the guides 7 and 8. In this position the pavvl 1-9 engages a notch 20"" of the latch 20 andthe latch 2 0 becomes locked in the recess 7 of the guide 7.

It is thus apparent that upon the change of centers of the disks 9, and lOthe disk 9 will act as a counterueight and'cause the shaft 2 to turn carrying with it the gate 1 so. as to place the gat-ey in closed or horizont-al position. The offset 16"upon the connection 1G 3'3 Of' course the movements of will become engaged with the latch to maintain thc gate in horizontal position. After the train has passed the crossing one o-f the wheels of the same will act upon the roller 52 upon an arm 50 of a second operating device which is located along the railroad track and this device being connected to the cable 45, will swing the lever thereby pulling the cable 36 which is secured to the cable 37 and the cables 38 and thereby rotate the disk 9 clockwise since the cable 38 is connected to the member 16. the offset 16 from the latch 30. Upon the disk 9 rotating clockwise the roller 13 carried thereby will act against the cam surface 10 and thereby force the disk 10 to be displaced laterally. Then the pawl .17 disengages the notch 16 upon the latch 16 and the pawl 18 disengagcs the notch 8 upon the guide 8 and the pawls 19 and 2() become disengaged and the disk 9 again becomes concentric to the shaft 2 while the disk l0 becomes eccentric.

Upon this return movement being effected,

' the disk 10 actsas a counterweight and will cause the shaft 2 to turn, thereby raising the gate 1 to its vertical position and the offset 20 upon the latch 2O will become located between the latch 29 and the stop 31, which is apparent from the showing in Figure 6.

During the approach of the train upon lowering the member 69 to its lowermost position as shown in full lines in Figure 11, this member will actuate the arm 65 and thereby actuatc the arm 66 which is secured to the shaft 64 and held in normal position by the spring 67 and the cable 62 secured to the arm 66, will be pulled and thereby pivot the lever upon the standard 56 and actuate the hammer through means of the cable 58 so as to sound the alarm. Of course it is evident that in place of a gong signal any other type of signal may be used.

4It is evident that the device described may be modified in quite a few particulars and it is my intention to cover by the appended claims, all such mo-difications as come within the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

1. In an automatic railroad gate, a rotatable shaft, a gate secured to said shaft, a pair of elements serving as counterweights for said gate rotatably mounted upon said shaft, one of said elements being concentrically 7 mounted and the other being eccentrically mounted, mea-ns for reversing the positions of said elements to cause operation of said gate, means for restoring the original position of said elements to place the gate in inoperative position and means operated by a train for setting said operating means and said restoring means in operation.

2. In an automatic railroad gate, a gate, a rotatable sha-ft secured to said gate, counterweighted elements mounted on said shaft, 1n

This disengages eccentric and concentric positions with relation tothe same, said elements being adapted to cause the rotation ofthe shaft, when the eccentric position of said elements changes to the concentric position and vice-versa thereby 'causing the gate carried by said shaft to assume a4 vertical or horizontal position, means adjacent the track operated by a passing train to cause movementof saidcounterweighted elements to eccentric and concentric positions with relation to said shaft, means for holding the gate in ahorizontal position when the train is passing the crossing and means for holding the gate in a raised position, when the train has passed the crossing.

3. In automatic gates, the arrangement of a movable shaft, a gate secured to said shaft, disks mounted loosely on said shaft having slots for engagement therewith to position said disks alternately concentric and eccentric with relation to said shaft, guides slidable in said disks for guiding the same with a lateral movement, and also upwardly and downwardly, transmission means between the disks and devices placed along the track to cause the wheels of a travelling train to come in contact with the same, the sliding movement of the disks and the change from concentricity and eccentricity of the same with the shaft and with the consequent rotative movement of the shaft which supports said gate, means for holding the gate in a horizontal position, as the train passes the crossing, and means for holding the gate in a raised position when the train has passed the crossing.

4. In automatic railroad gates the arrangementof a horizontal shaft between standards, a gate secured to said shaft, two disks mounted loosely on the shaft, guides for said disks along which said disks are slidable, so as to become concentric or eccentric alternately with relation to the shaft, an engagement member which acts upon one of the disks moving the same upwardly and downwardly, means which cause the lateral displacement of the other disk along one of said guides, engagement means for holdingl the gate in a horizontal position or in a raised position after the disks have been operated, and means located adjacent the track operated by the wheels of a train for operating said disks.

5. In automatic railroad gates, the arrangement of a horizontally rotatable shaft,

standards supporting said shaft installed in a casing, a gate secured to said shaft, a counterweighted cross piece of dovetailed cross section secured to said shaft, two disks having cam surfaces in diametrical relation connected slidably to said cross piece, said disks having slots in which said shaft is loosely mounted, said slots making it possible for said disks to be moved upwardly and downwardly or laterally along said cross piece, one

of said disks having an offset portion, a roller 4 uns m wh f ne Tm the;

iigmllnln.Y ot. Hamm' unghia members for holding alternately 0h disk in. c c Y ic or'concwtric position l. with relation tosai Shah-a connection membar forsaid oset portion, a mechanism. installed ad'acent a truck, n connection besai mechanism and said ,connectn consisting of n lievr,v pulley, an l, cable means, said machamsm being operated by the whnels of a train and anothermechumsm likwise in engagement by V*a* transmission comprisingleverscontrolled by springs, pulleys and cables with said sha-.ft which su ports said gabe.

En tstinlony whereof we have signed our xmms to this specification.

ENRIQUE YCANUT.

JOSE M. LOYDI. 

